County approves private air strip

Douglas County commissioners on Wednesday gave their approval for a local couple to resume using a private air strip on their land.

Robert and Angela Murray, who live about five miles east of Baldwin City on North 500 Road, have used the 1,656-foot, turf-surface air strip on their property since 2003, but their conditional use permit expired in February.

Mary Miller of the county's planning staff said no objections to the renewal had been filed by nearby property owners, and there was no comment against the permit when it was considered at the Lawrence-Douglas County Planning Commission last month.

The commission's action Wednesday gives the Murrays another 10 years to continue using the airstrip, provided the Federal Aviation Administration does not raise an objection.

Miller said the FAA's main concern is that no other structures be built above certain heights in areas around the air strip that might interfere with a plane landing, taking off, or taxiing on the strip. No such structures exist around the air strip currently.

In other business, commissioners approved in a single vote several items on their consent agenda, including:

• The appointment of several individuals to the Douglas County Emergency Management Board.

• A three-party agreement with the city of Lawrence and the Kansas Department of Transportation for construction of an interchange on the South Lawrence Trafficway at Bob Billings Parkway.

• An agreement with KDOT for the purchase of a piece of paving equipment known as a safety edge shoe for asphalt paving.

• And authorization for county staff to work with the Government Finance Officers Association for the procurement of a new financial management system.